The present invention relates generally to the preparation of electrically conducting polymers, and more particularly to the preparation of environmentally stable electrically conducting high-temperature polymers. This invention is the result of a contract with the Department of Energy (Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36).
Electrically conducting [.sigma..gtoreq.1(.OMEGA.cm).sup.-1 ], soluble, high-temperature polymeric materials have recently emerged as an interesting class of materials. R. Liepins and M. Aldissi have reported electride doping of hightemperature polymers in Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 105, 151 (1984). Unfortunately, all of the currently used n- or p-dopants have resulted in environmentally unstable conducting polymers. It was originally hoped that cesium electride and cesium ceside as n-dopants would provide a significant increase in environmental stability in polymers doped therewith. However, although increased stability relative to potassium naphthalide-doped materials was observed, the electride-doped materials were still found to be unstable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the preparation of environmentally stable, conducting [.sigma..gtoreq.1(.OMEGA.cm).sup.-1 ] polymeric materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the preparation of environmentally stable, conducting polymeric materials stable to at least 300.degree. C.
Yet another object of our invention is to provide articles fabricated from environmentally stable, high-temperature conducting [.sigma..gtoreq.1(.OMEGA.cm).sup.-1 ] polymeric materials.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.